Toward the end of my March 17th, St. Patrick’s Day walk, I decided to add a new twist to my year. I’m going to see how many states I see represented by license plates throughout the year. Even though I’ve missed the first two and a half months.
I’ll also hope to maybe get a Washington, D.C., Mexico or a Canada plate.
I estimate I will probably end up with about 40 of the states by the end of the year. I’m guessing Hawaii might not be likely to show up. I will only count it as a plate if it legitimately shows up during one of my walks.
Below is one of many web sites selling license plates… fun to look at the variety.
The state nicknames given first are from a Rand-McNally road atlas — I’ve added some other ones that I’ve heard.
March 17 — Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming — cumulative 3
March 19 — Georgia, Illinois, Nebraska, New York, Texas — cumulative 8
March 22 — Montana, Ohio — cumulative 10
March 30 — California,Kansas. Minnesota, Mississippi, New Mexico, Oregon, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin — cumulative 20 (Big day today !! I’m guessing I probably get at most 2 or 3 a day from here on out, and probably a bunch of zeroes thrown in here and there.)
April 6 — okay, I underestimated. I got 7 new license plates today!!!
Alabama, Kentucky, Maine(!?!), Nevada, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah. (cumulative 27)
April 12 — Idaho (cumulative 28). Last night, I saw three plates I needed in the Walgreens parking lot… a Louisiana, Michigan, and a big one… Alaska!! I was so tempted to go home and get my camera…. but….. but…… that would be cheating.
April 20 — and again, 7 new license plates today… plus Mexico!!!
Alaska, Florida, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, and Missouri (cumulative 35) + Chihuahua, Mexico
April 30 — Michigan, North Carolina, North Dakota (cumulative 38)
May 10 — no new U.S. state license plates, but one from the state of Durango, Mexico!
May 11 — Louisiana and Tennessee (cumulative 40)
May 18 — Saw Rhode Island at a stop light… but no picture, so won’t count it.
May 25 — New Jersey and West Virginia (cumulative 42)
June 6 — Vermont (cumulative 43)
June 16 — New Hampshire (cumulative 44)
June 22 — Arkansas (cumulative 45) PLUS Canada (British Columbia)!!
July 2 — Delaware (cumulative 46)
July 12 — Connecticut (cumulative 47)
July 30 — Hawaii and South Carolina (cumulative 49)
I just need a photo of a Rhode Island plate (which I’ve seen, but not photographed); and it would be nice to get a Washington D.C. still. But my quest is basically done. And much sooner than I expected… it just took a little over 4 months.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Alabama — The Yellowhammer State (Heart of Dixie)
Alaska –The Last Frontier (Land of the Midnight Sun)
Arizona — The Grand Canyon State
Arkansas — The Natural State (Razorback State, Diamond State)
California — The Golden State (Eureka State, Bear State)
Colorado — The Centennial State (Rocky Mountain State)
Connecticut — The Constitution State (Nutmeg State, Charter Oak State)
Delaware — The Diamond State (First State, Blue Hen State)
The first state to rafity the Constitution
Florida — The Sunshine State (Everglade State, Orange State)
Georgia — The Peach State (Empire State of the South)
Hawaii — The Aloha State (The Pineapple State)
didn’t think I would get one of these!
Idaho — The Gem State
Illinois — Land of Lincoln (Prairie State)
note the faded ‘Honest Abe’
Indiana — The Hoosier State (Crossroads of America)
Iowa — The Hawkeye State
Kansas — The Sunflower State
Kentucky — The Bluegrass State
Louisiana — The Pelican State (Bayou State)
Maine — The Pine Tree State
This is a big one!!!
Maryland — The Old Line State
Massachusetts — The Bay State
Michigan — The Great Lakes State (Wolverine State)
Minnesota — The North Star State (Gopher State, Land of 10,000 Lakes)
Mississippi –The Magnolia State
Missouri — The Show Me State (The Ozark State)
Montana — The Treasure State (The Blue Sky State)
Nebraska — The Cornhusker State (The Beef State)
Nevada — The Silver State (The Sagebrush State, The Battle Born State)
New Hampshire — The Granite State
New Jersey — The Garden State
New Mexico — Land of Enchantment
New York — The Empire State
North Carolina — The Tar Heel State (First in Flight)
North Dakota — The Peace Garden State (The Flickertail State)
Ohio — The Buckeye State (Birthplace of Aviation)
Oklahoma — The Sooner State
Oregon — The Beaver State
Pennsylvania — The Keystone State (The Independence State, The Quaker State)
Rhode Island — The Ocean State (Little Rhody)
( saw ‘Little Rhody’ at a stoplight, but didn’t get a picture, so not counting it)
South Carolina — The Palmetto State
The Palmetto State (tree)
South Dakota — The Mount Rushmore State (The Coyote State)
Tennessee — The Volunteer State
Texas — The Lone Star State
Utah — The Beehive State
Vermont — The Green Mountain State
Virginia — The Old Dominion State
Washington — The Evergreen State
West Virginia — The Mountain State
Wisconsin — The Badger State (America’s Dairyland)
Wyoming — The Equality State (Cowboy State)
Washington, D.C.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=
Mexico
Chihuahua, Mexico !!
Canada
British Columbia (visitors from Vancouver)
Ontario, Canada
ANY OTHER COUNTRY?